BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Exchange-traded funds to gain exposure to China and Asia's emerging economies could make sense for some investors, if they're ready for bumpy markets that have recently endured violent boom-and-bust cycles, Japan's lost ...

rates Kent Thune: With the Federal Reserve prepared to potentially raise interest rates as early as later this year, fixed-income investors have grown increasingly nervous and are now looking for the best way to protect against interest rate risk.

To say the year so far has been a wild one for Chinese stocks would be an understatement. After rallying more than 50% between the end of 2014 and mid-June, Chinese stocks finally had the rug got pulled out from underneath them.

Following a year that saw some of the worst performances in recent memory, many asset classes have bounced back in 2009. But some have performed better than others, and as the year draws to a close we take a look at some of the best-performing ETFs.

Wednesday has been a rip-roaring day for Chinese stocks, with the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:FXI) up more than 6% at midday, and the Guggenheim China Small Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:HAO) up more than 10%.